Medicine bottle with grip

ABSTRACT

A bottle for a medicine is disclosed. The bottle may have a base portion, a threaded neck portion, a child resistant cap and a grip portion. The bottle may be part of a kit having other bottles without a grip section. The bottle may be part of a retail display system.

BACKGROUND

Medication bottles may be closed with a threaded cap that is removed bya user applying a twisting force to the cap with one hand while grippingthe body of the bottle with the other hand. Bottles having a largediameter may be difficult to open because the large diameter bodyportion may impede gripping by the user's hand. This difficulty may beheightened in individuals having a disability, such as, e.g., arthritis,particularly for child-resistant bottle closures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a third angle perspective view of an example set ofbottles without caps, according to an example embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the example set of bottles of FIG. 1 withcaps.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of a bottle of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b depict a child-resistant closure mechanism of the capof the bottle of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 depicts a front view of the example set of bottles of FIG. 1, ina closed position and in a retail display system, according to anexample embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Medicine bottles up to a certain size have diameters that may be grippedeasily by one hand so that the other hand is free to remove the cap.Larger-sized bottles typically have larger diameters to accommodatelarger internal volumes. There may be advantages to increasing thediameter of larger-sized bottles, such as, e.g., providing a lowercenter of gravity and increasing the bottom surface area relative to theheight, thereby making it more difficult for the bottle to beaccidentally tipped over when resting on its base. A potentialdisadvantage is that the larger-diameter base may be more difficult tograsp with one hand. This can make opening and closing the bottlesubstantially more difficult, especially where the bottle has a childresistant cap that may require forces to applied other than simplyturning the cap. Some child resistant caps, for example, requireapplying a substantial downward force while turning the cap. Thisadditional applied force may make gripping the base of the bottleespecially difficult. Thus, a problem exists where both a large diameterand good gripability are desired.

Example embodiments of the present invention address at least theaforementioned problem by providing a grip portion of reduced diameterbetween the large-diameter base portion and the top portion of thebottle where the cap is secured. In this manner, the bottle is providedwith a large internal capacity, yet is easy to grip with one hand at thesmaller-diameter grip portion, leaving the second hand free to disengagethe cap. The grip portion may allow the bottle to be gripped easily andsufficiently to fully support the bottle against both rotational forcesand linear forces, such as, e.g., the downward force necessary to openand close some child resistant bottles. Accordingly, an ergonomic bottleis provided that allows for a large-diameter base.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, someexample bottles may be bottles for a powder or liquid having: asubstantially cylindrical base portion having a main diameter greaterthan about 8; a threaded neck portion having a neck diameter of about 4centimeters; a child resistant cap fitted to the threaded neck portionand configured to provide a dosage measurement for the medicine, the caphaving a cap diameter of about 5 centimeters; a grip portion integrallyformed with the bottle and disposed between the base portion and theneck portion, the grip portion having a grip diameter that issubstantially less than the main diameter and substantially greater thanthe cap diameter, where the grip diameter is greater than approximately7 centimeters and less than approximately 8 centimeters. Some examplesmay have an undercut portion disposed between the grip portion and thebase portion, where the undercut portion has an undercut diameter thatis less than the grip diameter. The bottle may contain a powder orliquid form of a medicine, for example a laxative, such as polyethyleneglycol or similar product. In certain embodiments, the height of thebottle may be less than about 18 centimeters.

Some example bottles, according to some example embodiments of thepresent invention, may be bottles for a medicine having: a base portionhaving a main diameter; a threaded neck portion having a neck diameter,the neck diameter being substantially smaller than the main diameter.Some examples may have a child resistant cap fitted to the threaded neckportion and having a cap diameter. Some examples may have a grip portiondisposed between the base portion and the neck portion, where the gripportion has a grip diameter that is substantially smaller than the maindiameter and substantially greater than the neck diameter. Some caps mayhave an indicator that corresponds to a dose size. In some examples, thecap may have an internal volume that corresponds to a dose size. Someexamples may have an undercut portion disposed between the grip portionand the base portion, where the undercut portion has an undercutdiameter that is less than the grip diameter. In some examples, themedicine may be a laxative in powder form. The neck diameter may begreater than 2.5 centimeters. In some examples, the neck diameter may beabout 3.8 centimeters. In some examples, the grip portion may beintegrally formed with the bottle. In some examples, the grip diametermay be greater than 7 centimeters and less than 8 centimeters. In someexamples, the main diameter may be greater than about 7.5 centimeters.In some examples, the main diameter may be greater than about 12centimeters. In some examples, the main diameter is substantiallyconstant along a majority of the base portion. In some examples, theheight of the bottle may be less than about 17 centimeters. In someexamples, the height of the bottle may be less than about 30centimeters. In some examples, removal of the child resistant cap mayrequire the application of an axially downward force whilesimultaneously rotating the cap with respect to the base portion.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, someexample methods of providing a medicine to a retailer may includedelivering the medicine to the retailer in a first type of bottle anddelivering the medicine to the retailer in a second type of bottle,where the second type is larger volume than the first type, and wherethe second type of bottle is a bottle in accordance with the examplesset forth above. In some examples, the bottles of the two types aredelivered in the same shipment. In some examples, the first type ofbottle and the second type of bottle have caps of the same cap type.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, someexample delivery systems for a medication may include: a first typebottle containing the medicine; a second type bottle containing themedicine, where the second type bottle is a bottle as described aboveand being larger volume than the first type bottle, and where the firsttype bottle and second type bottle have lids configured to provide adosage measurement for the medicine; and a unifying container holdingthe first type bottle and the second type bottle. In some examples, thelids of the first type bottle and the second type bottle may measure thesame dosage. In some examples, the lids of the first type bottle and thesecond type bottle may be identical.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, someexample retail display systems for a medicine may include a retaildisplay device, a first type bottle containing the medicine and locatedon the retail display device, and a second type bottle containing themedicine and located on the retail display device, where the second typebottle is a bottle as described above and is larger volume than thefirst type bottle. In some examples, the retail display system is ashelf.

FIG. 1 depicts a third angle perspective view of an example set 5 ofbottles 10, 20, 30 without caps according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the example set 5 of bottles 10, 20, 30of FIG. 1. Each bottle 10, 20, 30 has a cylindrical base portion 11, 21,31, a threaded neck portion 12, 22, 32, and a child resistant cap 13,23, 33 that is fitted to the threaded neck portion 12, 22, 32. Each cap13, 23, 33 has a cap outer diameter 41 of about 5 centimeters. Eachthreaded neck portion 12, 22, 32 has an outer diameter of about 4centimeters. The width of the threaded neck portion 12, 22, 32 may allowfor a wide opening that may facilitate the dispensing of a medication,e.g., a laxative, in powder form. The size of the cap allows the cap tohave an internal volume sufficiently sized to provide a vehicle fordosage measurement. For example, the total interior volume of the capcould correspond to a dosage size and/or a line or marking couldcorrespond to a dosage when the cap is filled to the line or marking.Each of the three caps 13, 23, 33 depicted in FIG. 2 is identical withrespect to each other and may be interchangeably fitted with any of thethree different bottles 10, 20, 30. In this regard, all of the bottles10, 20, 30 may contain different amounts of the same medicine, e.g.laxative, in powdered form, while having identical caps providing thesame dosage measurement. When the cap 13, 23, 33 is attached to thethreaded neck portion 12, 22, 32, each bottle 10, 20, 30 may be openedby disengaging the threaded interface between the threaded neck portion12, 22, 32. This is accomplished by applying a twisting force betweenthe cap 13, 23, 33 and the threaded neck portion 12, 22, 32. Because ofthe child-proof construction of the cap 13, 23, 33, a substantial forcemust be simultaneously applied in an axially downward direction 7 inorder for the twisting force to be transferred to the interface betweenan inner surface of the cap 13, 23, 33 and an outer surface of thethreaded neck portion 12, 22, 32. Otherwise, an outer portion of the cap13, 23, 33 spins with respect to an inner portion (including the innersurface) of the cap 13, 23, 33, while the inner portion remainsstationary (and engaged) with respect to the threaded neck portion 12,22, 32. The height of the larger-capacity bottle 30, not including thecap 33, may be less than 18 centimeters.

A user may open either of the two smaller-capacity bottles 10, 20 bygripping the cap 13, 23 with one hand and gripping the base portion 11,21 with the other hand, and applying a twisting force (and simultaneousaxially downward force) between the cap 13, 23 and the base portion 11,21, which is integrally formed with the threaded neck portion 12, 22,from, e.g., plastic. The larger-capacity bottle 30 may be more difficultto grasp at the base portion 31 because the base portion 31 of thebottle 30 has a base portion diameter 40 that is greater than thediameter of each of the other bottles 10, 20. This may presentparticular difficulty to users with muscle, nerve, and/or jointafflictions such as, e.g., arthritis. Thus, in order to improve thegripability, a grip portion 45 is integrally formed with the bottle anddisposed between the base portion 31 and the threaded neck portion 32.The grip portion 45 has a diameter 47 that is substantially less thanthe main diameter 40 and substantially greater than the cap diameter 41.In this regard, it should be appreciated that the grip portion is smallenough for a large number of users can comfortable grip it with onehand, but large enough to provide some clearance between the cap and thehand gripping the grip portion, for example between about 7 and about 8centimeters. An undercut portion 50, having a diameter 52 that is lessthan the grip portion diameter 47, is disposed between the grip portion45 and the base portion 31. In the bottle 30 depicted in FIG. 2, thegrip portion 45 ends and the undercut portion 50 begins at a point wherethe outer profile of the bottle transitions from convex to concave. Itshould be appreciated, however, that the undercut portion and the gripportion may be separated by a non-continuous profile (e.g., a sharpangle). The undercut portion 50 may provide better grip and allow theuser to more easily support the weight of the bottle 30 when grippingaround the grip portion 45. The undercut portion may also allow the baseto be better supported when pressing the cap axially downward toovercome the child-resistant closure. Although the grip portion depictedin FIG. 2 has a curved profile, it should be appreciated that the gripportion may have other profiles, e.g., a flat vertical surface.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the bottle 30 of FIG. 2. Thebottle 30 has an internal cavity 60 that may hold, e.g., a laxative inpowder form that may be dispensed through opening 65, by, e.g., pouring.The threaded neck portion 32 has external threads 70 that mate withinternal threads 75 of an inner portion 80 of the cap 33. The innerportion 80 is constrained within an outer portion 85. The inner portion80 may rotate within the outer portion 85 about an axis 90. There isalso a small amount of axial clearance, allowing an amount of axialdisplacement between the inner portion 80 and the outer portion 85 alongthe axis 90. Referring to FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, along a periphery of thecap 33 are mating elements 100, 105. In the absence of a substantialforce applied in the axially downward direction 7, when the cap isturned in a direction, e.g., counter-clockwise, to be opened, the angledsurfaces 101, 106 guide the mating element 100 (which is fixed to andintegral with the outer portion 85) past the mating element 105 (whichis fixed to and integral with the inner portion 80 and frictionallycoupled to the threaded neck portion 32 via the threaded interface therebetween) in a direction 57, as shown in FIG. 4A. Referring to FIG. 4 b,in the presence of a substantial force in applied in the axiallydownward direction 7, the mating elements are pressed together such thatthe angled surfaces 101, 106 are unable to slide relative to each other.As such, tangential forces along direction 57 (and torque generatedthereby) may be transferred between the mating elements 100, 105, andtherefore between the inner portion 80 and the outer portion 85 of thecap 33. It is noted that when rotating the cap in the opposite direction(to close the cap) a minimal amount of downward force is requiredbecause surfaces 102 and 107 engage and are perpendicular to the planeof applied force. In other words, because the surfaces 102, 107 are notangled, they do not urge the mating elements 100, 105 axially away fromeach other. It should be appreciated in this regard that alternative oradditional child-resistant closure mechanisms may be employed.

FIG. 5 depicts a front view of the example set of bottles of FIG. 1, ina closed position and as part of a retail display system 150, accordingto an example embodiment of the present invention. The retail displaysystem includes a retail display device 120, in this case a shelf.Bottles 10, 20 of a first type have lower capacity and smaller basediameters than a second type of bottle 30. The bottles 10, 20 of thefirst type do not have a grip section, while the bottle 30 of the secondtype does. It is noted that the base diameters of the bottles 10, 20 ofthe first type are approximately the same as the diameter of the gripportion of the bottle 30 of the second type. The bottles 10, 20, 30contain the same medicine, e.g. a laxative in powder form. Although theretail display system has the bottles increasing in size from left toright, it should be appreciated that the bottles may be displayed in anyorder, or on different shelves or racks. It should also be appreciatedthat although FIG. 5 shows two sizes of bottles of a first type and onesize of bottle of a second type, any number (including one) of sizes ofeach type may be employed.

Several embodiments of the present invention are specifically describedherein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications andvariations of the present invention are covered by the above teachingsand within the purview of the appended claims without departing from thespirit and intended scope of the invention.

1. A combination, comprising: a bottle having a cylindrical base portionhaving a main diameter greater than about 8; a threaded neck portionhaving a neck diameter of about 4 centimeters; a child-proof cap fittedto the threaded neck portion, the cap having a cap outer diameter ofabout 5 centimeters; the height of the bottle is less than about 18centimeters; a grip portion integrally formed with the bottle anddisposed between the base portion and the neck portion, the grip portionhaving a grip diameter that is substantially less than the main diameterand substantially greater than the cap outer diameter, the grip diameterbeing greater than about 7 and less than about 8; and an undercutportion disposed between the grip portion and the base portion, theundercut portion having an undercut diameter that is less than the gripdiameter; and a powder contained in the bottle, wherein and the cap isconfigured to provide a dosage measurement for the powder.
 2. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein the powder is a medicine.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein the powder is a laxative.
 4. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein the powder is polyethylene glycol.
 5. Abottle for a medicine, comprising: a base portion having a maindiameter; a threaded neck portion having a neck diameter, the neckdiameter being smaller than the main diameter; a child-proof cap fittedto the threaded neck portion and configured to provide a dosagemeasurement for the medicine, the cap having a cap diameter; and a gripportion disposed between the base portion and the neck portion, the gripportion having a grip diameter that is substantially smaller than themain diameter and substantially greater than the neck diameter.
 6. Thebottle of claim 5, wherein the cap has an indicator that corresponds toa dosage size.
 7. The bottle of claim 5, wherein the cap has an internalvolume that corresponds to a dose size.
 8. The bottle of claim 5 furthercomprising an undercut portion disposed between the grip portion and thebase portion, the undercut portion having an undercut diameter that isless than the grip diameter.
 9. The bottle of claim 5, wherein themedicine is a laxative in powder form.
 10. The bottle of claim 5,wherein the neck diameter is greater than 2.5 centimeters.
 11. Thebottle of claim 10, wherein the neck diameter is about 3.8 centimeters.12. The bottle of claim 5, wherein the grip portion is integrally formedwith the bottle.
 13. The bottle of claim 5, wherein the grip diameter isgreater than about 7 centimeters and less than about 8 centimeters. 14.The bottle of claim 10, wherein the main diameter is greater than about7.5 centimeters.
 15. The bottle of claim 10, wherein the main diameteris about 12 centimeters.
 16. The bottle of claim 14, wherein the maindiameter is substantially constant along a majority of the base portion.17. The bottle of claim 16, wherein the height of the bottle is lessthan about 17 centimeters.
 18. The bottle of claim 16, wherein theheight of the bottle is less than about 30 centimeters.
 19. The bottleof claim 5, wherein removal of the child resistant cap requires theapplication of an axially downward force while simultaneously rotatingthe cap with respect to the base portion.
 20. The bottle of claim 5,further comprising: means for measuring a dosage of the medicine formedas part of the means for closing.
 21. A bottle for a medicine,comprising: child resistant means for containing a medicine; means foropening and closing the means for containing the medicine; and means forenhancing the manual gripability of the means for containing themedicine by providing a portion that is narrower than a portion of themeans for containing the medicine.
 22. A method of providing a medicineto a retailer: delivering the medicine to the retailer in a first typeof bottle; and delivering the medicine to the retailer in a second typeof bottle, the second type of bottle being a larger volume than thefirst type of bottle, the second type of bottle being a bottle of claim5.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the bottles of the two types aredelivered in the same shipment.
 24. The method of claim 22, wherein thefirst type of bottle and the second type of bottle have caps of the samecap type.
 25. A delivery system for a medicine, comprising: a first typebottle containing the medicine, a second type bottle containing themedicine, the second type bottle being a bottle of claim 5 and beinglarger volume than the first type bottle, the first type bottle andsecond type bottle having lids configured to provide a dosagemeasurement for the medicine; and a unifying container holding the firsttype bottle and the second type bottle.
 26. The delivery system of 25,wherein the lids of the first type bottle and the second type bottlemeasure the same dosage.
 27. The deliver system of 26, wherein the lidsof the first type bottle and the second type bottle are identical.
 28. Aretail display system for a medicine, comprising: a retail displaydevice; a first type bottle containing the medicine and located on theretail display device; a second type bottle containing the medicine andlocated on the retail display device, the second type bottle being abottle of claim 5 and having a larger volume than and the same capdesign as the first type bottle.
 29. The retail display system of claim28, wherein the retail display device is a shelf.